Neoadjuvant therapy has been widely applied in the treatment of rectal cancer, which can shrink tumor size, lower tumor staging and improve the prognosis. It has been the standard preoperative treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer patients varies between individuals, and the results of tumor regression are obviously different. Some patients with good tumor regression even achieve pathological complete response (pCR). Tumor regression is of great significance for the selection of surgical regimes and the determination of distal resection margin. However, few studies focus on tumor regression patterns. Controversies on the safe distance of distal resection margin after neoadjuvant treatment still exist. Therefore, based on the current research progress, this review summarized the main tumor regression patterns after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer, and classified them into three types: tumor shrinkage, tumor fragmentation, and mucin pool formation. And macroscopic regression and microscopic regression of tumors were compared to describe the phenomenon of non-synchronous regression. Then, the safety of non-surgical treatment for patients with clinical complete response (cCR) was analyzed to elaborate the necessity of surgical treatment. Finally, the review studied the safe surgical resection range to explore the safe distance of distal resection margin.
Humans ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Margins of Excision ; Treatment Outcome ; Rectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Rectum/pathology* ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of antibiotic use for very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of Hunan Province. METHODS: The use of antibiotics was investigated in multiple level 3 NICUs of Hunan Province for VLBW and ELBW infants born between January, 2017 and December, 2017. RESULTS: The clinical data of 1 442 VLBW/ELBW infants were collected from 24 NICUs in 2017. The median antibiotic use duration was 17 days (range: 0-86 days), accounting for 53.0% of the total length of hospital stay. The highest duration of antibiotic use was up to 91.4% of the total length of hospital stay, with the lowest at 14.6%. In 16 out of 24 NICUs, the antibiotic use duration was accounted for more than 50.0% of the hospitalization days. There were 113 cases with positive bacterial culture grown in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, making the positive rate of overall bacterial culture as 7.84%. The positive rate of bacterial culture in different NICUs was significantly different from 0% to 14.9%. The common isolated bacterial pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae was 29 cases (25.7%); Escherichia coli 12 cases (10.6%); Staphylococcus aureus 3 cases (2.7%). The most commonly used antibiotics were third-generation of cephalosporins, accounting for 41.00% of the total antibiotics, followed by penicillins, accounting for 32.10%, and followed by carbapenems, accounting for 13.15%. The proportion of antibiotic use time was negatively correlated with birth weight Z-score and the change in weight Z-score between birth and hospital discharge (r=-0.095, -0.151 respectively, P<0.01), positively correlated with death/withdrawal of care (r=0.196, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics used for VLBW/ELBW infants in NICUs of Hunan Province are obviously prolonged in many NICUs. The proportion of routine use of third-generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems antibiotics is high among the NICUs.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of puerarin on methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) phosphorylation (pMeCP2) in the hippocampus of a rat model of vascular dementia (VD).

METHODSThirty-six healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the sham-operated group, dementia group and puerarintreated group using a random number table (n=12 per group). The modifified permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion method was used to establish the VD model. The sham-operated and dementia groups were given 2 mL/d of saline, while the puerarin-treated group was given 100 mg/(kg•d) of puerarin for 17 days. The learning and memory abilities were evaluated by the Morris water maze test. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot analysis were carried out to observe changes in neuron morphology and in level of pMeCP2 in the hippocampus, respectively.

RESULTSThe morphologies of rat hippocampal neurons in the puerarintreated group were markedly improved compared with the dementia group. The escape latency of the dementia group was significantly longer than the sham-operated group (P<0.05), while the puerarin-treated group was obviously shorter than the dementia group (P<0.05). Cross-platform times of the dementia group were signifificantly decreased compared with the sham-operated group (P<0.05), while the puerarin-treated group was obviously increased compared with the dementia group (P<0.05). IHC staining showed no significant difference in the number of MeCP2 positive cells among 3 groups (P>0.05). The number of pMeCP2 positive cells in the CA1 region of hippocampus in the dementia group was signifificantly increased compared with the sham-operated group, and the puerarin-treated group was signifificantly increased compared with the dementia group (both P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed no signifificant difference of MeCP2 expression among 3 groups (P>0.05). The expression of pMeCP2 in the dementia group was signifificantly increased compared with the sham-operated group, while it in the puerarin-treated group was signifificantly increased compared with the dementia group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPuerarin could play a role in the protection of nerve cells through up-regulating pMeCP2 in the hippocampus, improving neuron morphologies, and enhancing learning and memory ablities in a rat model of VD.

Animals ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Memory ; drug effects ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects

One case of family chromosomal karyotype with complex chromosomal translocation and male infertility was reported. This case is a male, 30 years old, Han nationality, who did not receive contraception for 3 years after marriage. The phenotype and intelligence of the patients were normal, and there were no abnormalities in the external genitalia. No abnormalities were found in the prostate and spermatic vein. There was no history of parotitis or testicular trauma, no history of smoking, drinking history, denial of harmful substances and history of radioactive contact. There were no similar patients in the family, and the secondary sex was normal. The routine semen examination suggested that the active sperm was seldom seen. There were no obvious abnormalities in the serum endocrine examination of the patient. Cytogenetic examination: the patient's karyotype 46XY, t (10; 18; 21) (q22; p11.2; q11.2). There was no deletion in locus sY84, sY86, sY127, sY134, sY143, sY254 and sY255. His wife's examination showed no obvious abnormality, and her karyotype was normal. The parents of the patients were not close relatives. Their father's chromosome karyotype analysis was 46, XY, and Y chromosome microdeletion was normal. The chromosome karyotype of the parent was 46XX, t (10; 18; 21), and the parents of the patient also had a daughter, whose phenotype and intellectual development were normal, chromosome karyotype 46XX, t (10; 18; 21). In this case, the patient's balance translocation should be inherited by the mother. Because of the normal phenotype of the patient, there was no loss of genetic material, but the abnormal chromosomes might be passed to the offspring, and the proportion of the unbalanced gametes was very high. Through systematic review and review of the cases, it was concluded that the balanced translocation carriers only changed the relative position of the translocation segments on the chromosomes, retained the total number of the original genes, only changed the relative position of the genes on the chromosomes, and had no serious effect on the role of the gene and the development of the individual. The phenotype was normal. The patients were given symptomatic treatment to improve semen quality. It is recommended that pre-implantation genetic screening/diagnosis(PGS/PGD) be performed if necessary. It is to guide married men and women to choose the appropriate childbearing age, avoid unhealthy environmental contacts, and strengthen genetic screening before and after pregnancy, so as to achieve the goal of eugenics.
Adult ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/genetics* ; Karyotype ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Semen Analysis ; Translocation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in different brain regions of aging rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats were randomized equally into negative control group, D-galactose group, EPO treatment group, and positive control group. Rat models of subacute aging were established by continuous subcutaneous injection of 5% D-galactose. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the variation of BDNF expressions in different brain regions of the aging rats with different treatments.

RESULTSSignificant brain region-specific differences in BDNF expression were found among the rats in different groups. Compared with those in the negative control group, the numbers of BDNF-positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 region, CA3 region, dentate gyrus (DG) and frontal cortex were all decreased obviously in D-galactose group (P<0.05) but increased in both EPO group and the positive control group (P<0.05) without significant differences between the latter two groups. In the rats in the same group, the number of BDNF-positive cells varied markedly in different brain regions (P<0.05), and the expression level of BDNF was the highest in the frontal cortex followed by the hippocampal CA3 region and the dentate gyrus, and was the lowest in the hippocampal CA1 region.

CONCLUSIONTreatment with rhEPO enhances the expression of BDNF in rat neural cells, suggesting that rhEPO may protect the nervous system from aging by regulating the BDNF pathway.

Aging ; Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; CA3 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Dentate Gyrus ; metabolism ; Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Frontal Lobe ; metabolism ; Galactose ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo observe metabolomic changes in urine of chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) patients with Pi-qi deficiency syndrome (PQDS) or Pi-Wei dampness-heat syndrome (PWDHS), thereby providing scientific evidence for syndrome typing of them.

METHODSUrine samples were collected from CSG patients with PQDS/PWDHS and healthy volunteers, 10 in each group. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR) based metabonomic analysis was performed on urine samples. Contents of related biomarkers were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and urivariate statistical analysis.

RESULTSPLS-DA analysis showed that metabolites among CSG patients with PQDS/PWDHS and healthy volunteers could be mutually distinguished. Seven differentially identified metabolites were screened from urines of CSG patients with PQDS and healthy volunteers included glutamate, methionine, α-oxoglutarate, dimethylglycine, creatinine, taurine, and glucose. Four differentially identified metabolites were screened from urines of CSG patients with PWDHS and healthy volunteers included 2-hydroxybutyric acid, trimethylamine oxide, taurine, and hippuric acid. Eleven differentially identified metabolites were screened from urines of CSG patients with PQDS and PWDHS included fucose, β-hydroxybutyric acid, alanine, glutamate, methionine, succinic acid, citric acid, creatinine, glucose, hippuric acid, and lactic acid.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolic differences of CSG patients PQDS and PWDHS mainly manifested in glycometabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acids catabolism, and 1H-NMR based metabonomics may be used in classified study of Chinese medical syndrome typing.

Biomarkers ; urine ; Discriminant Analysis ; Gastritis ; urine ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydroxybutyrates ; Ketoglutaric Acids ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Metabolome ; physiology ; Metabolomics ; Principal Component Analysis ; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Qi ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of colonoscopy-guided placement of self-expandable metallic stent without fluoroscopic monitoring in the emergence management for acute malignant colorectal obstruction.

METHODSClinical data of 42 patients (24 males and 18 females with a mean age of 64.3 years) undergoing colonoscopy-guided placement of self-expandable metallic stents without fluoroscopic monitoring for acute malignant colorectal obstruction between January 2010 and June 2012 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe obstruction was located in the rectum (n=19), sigmoid (n=9), descending colon (n=8), splenic flexure (n=1), hepatic flexure (n=3), and ascending colon (n=2). Technical success was achieved in all the 42 patients (100%). The mean time of operation was (11.8±10.4) min (range 1.1-51.0 min). No serious procedure-related complication occurred. Minor bleeding occurred in 3 cases (7.1%). One patient died on the second day after surgery because of heart failure.

CONCLUSIONSColonoscopy-guided placement of self-expandable metallic stents without fluoroscopic monitoring in emergence management for acute malignant colorectal obstruction is effective and safe with shorter operative time.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; etiology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the association of tumor budding with clinicopathological features and prognosis in T2 rectal cancer.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 123 patients who underwent potentially curative resection for T2 rectal carcinoma between 2001 and 2005 at the Changhai Hospital were collected. All pathology slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for microscopic examinations. The maximum value of tumor buds(MV) and average value of tumor buds(AV) were calculated, which were classified as low value (≤5), median value (5 < bud value < 10), and high value (≥10).

RESULTSUnivariate analysis and multivariate analysis revealed that MV(P=0.000), AV(P=0.001), and lymphatic invasion (P=0.006) were independent predictors for lymph node metastasis in T2 rectal cancer. Neural invasion and poorly differentiation were significantly associated with MV(P<0.05). Neural invasion, vascular invasion and poorly differentiation were were significantly associated to AV (P<0.01). Disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with low AV, median AV and high AV was 110.5 months, 95.8 months, and 60.0 months respectively. There were significance differences in DFS of low AV with median and high AV(P<0.05). DFS of patients with low MV, median MV and high MV was 115.1 months, 98.5 months, and 86.0 months respectively. There were significance differences in DFS between low and high AV, and median and high MV(P<0.01 and P<0.05), while no significant difference existed between low and median MV.

CONCLUSIONTumor budding is a useful marker to indicate high invasiveness of rectal cancer and a valuable prognostic predictor.

Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the emergency therapeutic strategy for sigmoid vovulus in the elderly.

METHODSClinical data of 14 elderly patients with sigmoid vovulus were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe mean age was(79.1±7.2) years(range, 70-93), and 11 patients (78.6%) were male. Emergency decompression and restoration with colonoscopy was performed in all the patients with a success rate of 100%. No patient required emergent surgery. Four patients(28.6%) recurred and they were managed well by repeat colonoscopic restoration.

CONCLUSIONEmergency colonoscopic restoration is the first treatment of choice for sigmoid vovulus in the elderly because it is safe and effective, and can be performed repeatedly.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colon, Sigmoid ; surgery ; Colonoscopy ; Decompression, Surgical ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Volvulus ; surgery ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficacy of surgical treatment for recurrent colorectal carcinoma in the elderly.

METHODSThe clinical and follow up data of 24 elderly patients with recurrent colorectal carcinoma who were treated between January 2000 and June 2009 at the Changhai hospital of the Second Military Medical University were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSAmong the 24 patients there were 14 men and 10 women. The mean age of the patients was 76.9 ± 5.3 years. The local recurrence was found in 15 patients. In 9 patients, both distant metastases and local recurrence were found. A total of 24 patients received operation, including radical resection in 15 patients and palliative resection in 8 patients. One patient had laparotomy only because of diffuse metastases in the abdomen and involvement of the duodenum and common bile duct.The patient received stent placement in the common bile duct and chemotherapy after the surgery. Postoperative complication occurred in 7(29.2%) patients, which included ileus(n=1), pulmonary infection(n=1), urinary infection(n=1), wound infection(n=2), wound dehiscence(n=1), and wound fat liquefaction(n=1). There were no perioperative deaths. The median survival time was 6 months in the entire cohort. The median survival time was 33 months in patients undergoing radical resection, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rate was 71.4%, 28.6%, and 14.3%. The median survival time was 3 months in patients who underwent palliative resection, and the 1-year survival rate was 0. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONOutcomes are acceptable after radical resection for elderly patients with recurrent colorectal cancer if careful preoperative evaluation and perioperative management are performed.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate